Razor, sharpener, razor blade sharpening instrument, and razor blade



H. DE HAVEN RAZOR, SHARPENER; RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING INSTRUMENT, AND RAZOR BLADE March 20, 1934.

Filed Dec. 9, 1929 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR h flelfewen A'ITORNEXS H. DE HAVEN 1,951,399

RAZOR, SHARPENER, RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING INSTRUMENT, AND RAZOR BLADE March 20, 1934.

Filed Dec. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIII 1 W E 3 M 1 a: M

Patented Mar. 20, 1934 PATENT OFFICE .RAZOR, SHARPENER, RAZOR BLADE SHARP- ENING INSTRUMENT, AND RAZOR BLADE Hugh De Haven, New York, N. Y. Application December 9, 1929, Serial No. 412,592

45 Claims.

blade edging element or sharpener to be mounted on the sharpening instrument or razor and to reciprocate relatively to the blade and in contact with the blade for sharpening the blade edge.

Another object of the invention'is a razor blade.

Another object of the invention is a method of sharpening a razorblade.

Another object of the invention is a razor of the type described, so constructed as to permit the adjustment of the guard relative to the edge of the blade. I

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will particularly be pointed out in the claims.-

The drawings show in section, elevation and detail a preferred form of construction of the razor, of the blade, and of the sharpener or blade edging element, and the parts thereof, and illustrate the broad principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the razor.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the razor.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the razor.

Fig. 4 is a' longitudinal section through the razor with the parts in shaving position, that is, with the blade edging device in retracted or housed position and with the blade holder in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4, but showing the blade edging device in extended position.

Fig. 6 is a view of the blade showing the body portion and the backing.

Fig. 7 is a rear view of the backing of the blade.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a view similarto Fig. 4; but showing the head of the razor with the blade holder in open position.

Fig. 11 is a view of the head of the razor as seen from the front with the blade holder in open position.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the blade holder.

Figs. 13 and 14 are forms of sharpeners or which may be used. 1

Fig. 15 illustrates the contact between the sharpener and a blade which is irregular due to a warp. a 1

Fig. 16 illustrates the contact between the sharpener and a perfectly regular blade. 1 05 Fig. 1'7 illustrates the contact between the sharpener and a blade which is irregular both along its=length and across its width.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged view on line- 18-18 of Fig. 13, looking in the direction lot the arrows.

Fig. 19 is a front elevation of a slightly dit- 'ferent form of the razor.

Fig. 20 is a longitudinal section through the razor, as shown in Fig. 19. j

The parts of the razor may be designated generally as a handle 1, a blade holder 2 and a blade edging device 3. The handle may be plan views of different blade edging elements formed of any suitable material, but is preferably of a non-corrosive or non-rusting material 8 stamped to provide upright portions 4, upper parts 5 which extend outwardly at an angle to the portions 4, and then again extend upwardly at 6 to form separated arms and to provide, with the associated parts of the razor, ahead. The 35 term head is used to denote generally the upper part of the razor, including the blade holder 2.

The razor is intended to be used for shaving with the parts in theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 4. For sharpening the edge of the blade, the sharpening device is reciprocated-relatively to and in contact with the blade, for example, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5, by shaking the razor. For 5 cleaning the razor and removing the blade, the blade holder is opened to the position shown in Fig. 10.

The sharpening deviceincludes the sharpener '7 and may include also the plate 3 on which the sharpener 7 is mounted. The forward edge of the plate 8 may be serrated or cut to form the guard teeth 9. In order to enable the sharpener 7 to reciprocate in contact with the edge of the blade, the plate 8 is mounted on a stem 10, which is pivoted on'a pin 11 in the handle of the razor. Wings 12 on the stem 10 cooperate with other wings 13 on the parts 40f the handle to limit the movement of the sharpener and its associated parts, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the ener.

In order to obtain an even contactbetween the edge of the blade and the sharpener, the

sharpener is so mounted that it may move to adjust itself on its support to permit the sharpener and blade to lie in parallel contact with each other. For this purpose there is a pivotal connection, preferably at a right angle to the front edge of the sharpener, between the stem and the sharpener 7. This pivotalconnec'-. tion may' be made by providing ears 14 on the top of the stem, which enclose between them a tab or projection 15 which extends downwardly from the plate 8 which supports the sharpener. The tab 15 is preferably smaller than the space between the ears 14, so that the tab maybe moved to the right or to the left, as seen in Fig. 4, that is from the back to the front of the razor to adjust the position of the guard 9 relative to the edge 16 of the blade. The tab 15 may conveniently be provided with a threaded hole to receive the screw threaded sleeve 17 which may be rotated by the knurled head 17. The sleeve is mounted for free rotation on the screw 18, which passes through an opening in one of the ears Hand is screw threaded at 19 into the other ear. The head 17' of the sleeve may convenient- 1y surround the head 20 of the screw and the body of the sleeve 17 preferably extends only to the ear 14 which is remote from the head 17' of the sleeve, so as not to interfere with the threaded connection betweenthe end 19 of the screw 18 and the cooperating car 14. The head 1'7 01' the threaded sleeve may be rotated to rotate the sleeve and thereby to move the tab 15, together with the plate 8 and the sharpener 7, to the right or to the left of Fig. 4 to make the guard teeth 9 lie farther in front of or in back of the edge 18 of the blade. The opening in the ear 14 through which the sleeve 17 passes, is large enough to permit the sleeve to rotate quite freely in order that the sharpener may move easily to ,adjust itself to lie in parallel contact with the blade edge 16. With this construction the sharpener 7 and the plate 8 are removable from the stem 10 merely by unscrewing the screw 18 and pulling it out of the ears 14 together with the threaded sleeve 17', the sharpener and plate are also adjustable by means of the sleeve 17 to change the position of the guard teeth 9 relative to the edge 16 of the blade to give close shaves; and, furthermore, the sharpener may move to adjust itself on its support to permit the blade and sharpener to lie in parallel contact with each other.

The stop pin' 21 is in position to engage the stem 10 for limiting its backward. movement and giving the stem '9, fixed position, so that when the plate 8 is retracted, the guard 9 will be-in the desired position relative to the edge 16 of the blade. The stop pin 21 also serves to strengthen the construction and to space the upper ends .of the parts 4 of the handle so that the wings 12 on the stem do not bind against the parts 4 and the stem and sharpener can have a slight amount of side movement. The stem 10 ispreferably pro-v vided with a notch 22, within which the pin 21 may be received so that the stem may be fully retracted and housed within the handle;

In the form ofrazor shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the stem 10 is provided with a bearing 23 l and the plate 8 is provided with tabs 24 which fit over and enclose this bearing 23. One of the tabs 24 is provided with a threaded opening to receive the threaded end 25 of the pivot pin 26, which extends through the other tab 24 and through an opening in the bearing 23. with this arrangement oi. partsthere is no adjustment of the guard relative to the edge 16 of the blade. but the plate 8 and sharpener 7 may easily be re-- moved by revolving the pivot pin 26 to screw the end 25 out of the threaded opening in the tab 24, after which the pin 26 may be pulled all the way out of the bearing 23 and the other tab 24 to permit the dissembling of the parts. In order to position the guard relative to the blade. in the form of razor shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the plate 8 may conveniently be provided with projecting cars 27, which engage with the outwardly extending parts 5 of the razor handle.

The blade, which includes the body portion 28, the backing 29 and connecting parts 30, which will later be described in more detail, is held in the blade holder denoted generally at 2.

The blade holder may conveniently be made of a single piece of springy metal having the gripping parts 31 and 32 which enclose and engage the rigid backing 29 of the blade. The gripping part 32'of the blade holder is preferably a lip which is curved to enclose the backing 29 of the blade with the edge 33 of the lip over the ridge 34 on the backing 29 of the blade. This securely holds the blade in the blade holder and to insert the blade in the blade holder, the blade holder is raised to the position shown in Fig. 10 and the blade is pushed in fromthe side of the blade holder, so that the edge 33 of the lip 32 rides over ,the ridge 34 of the blade backing. The engagement of the edge 33 of the lip 32 with the- 'to enable the blade easily to be withdrawn orv inserted. The lip 32 and the spring 35 therefor cooperate to hold the blade in the blade holder, each exerting a force to keep the backing of the blade in engagement with the lip 32 and each holding the backing of the blade seated in the blade gripping parts 31 and 32.01 the blade holder. In order to enable the blade easily to be inserted into the blade holder, the ends 36 of lip 32 are spread more than the central portion and the ends of the backing are tapered as is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 to come substantially to a point 37 on each end of the backing. The taper extends at 38 upwardly from the bottom of the backing toward the points 37 and the ridges 34 extend downwardly at 38" from the center of the backing toward the points (as, is shown most clearly on Fig. 6), and at 39 the taper extends on each side of the backing toward the points 37 (as is shown most clearly on Fig. 7). This enables the backing easily to be inserted into and then forced past the lip 32'and the spring 35. In order to positively position the blade holding lip 32 the bottom of the lip 32 is preferably embossed at 49 to blade holder has bearing parts 43 and 46 which' i also to hold the sharpener strengthen it at this point and the bottom of the backing is cut away at 41 to avoid any contact at this point so asto prevent rocking of the blade and to enable it to rest steadily in the holder on the points 42. The points 42 of. the blade backing rest on the exposed surface of the part 43 of the blade holder and this two point contact between the backing of the blade and the part 43 of the blade holder serves to give a definite position to the edge of the blade with relation to the guard, as will later be explained. The tapering 39 of the backing begins at approximately the central portion of the backing, so that the central portion of the backing is the largest'part. As a result of the bulge in the central portion of the backing, the lip 32 and the spring 35 are enabled to secure their greatest grip when the blade is properly seated centrally within the blade holder to most securely hold the blade in position at that point.

The blade holder is mounted on a rod 44 which extends across the head of the'razor betweenthe arms 6 and has squared ends 45 which extend through squared holes in the upper parts of the arms 6 to prevent the turning of the rod. The

contact with the rod 44 and the top of the blade holder extends from the forward edge 47 to provide another bearing part 48 so positioned that the bearing parts 43, 46 and 48 bear against the rod 44 to hold the biadeholder on the rod and permit it to be swung into any of the positions shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 10. The rod 44 is provided with a round part 49 and a fiat part 50 so positioned with relation to the bearing parts 43, 46 and 48 of the blade holder that there is a spring action to yieldably hold the blade down against the sharpener when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and also to retain the blade holder in the open position shown in Fig. 10. When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the bearing parts 43 and 46 are bearing on the round surface 49 of the rod 44 and the tendency of the bearing part 48 of the blade holder is to move into such a position that it lies fiat against the fiat surface 50 of the rod. This gives a spring action tending to force the blade holder downwardly, so that the blade bears against the sharpener '7. The downward force is sufficient to hold the blade in the shaving position shown in Fig. 4 and to prevent it from turning up during shaving and in the retracted position shown in Fig. 4. When the blade holder is in its raised position as is shown in Fig. 10, the

bearing part 43 of the blade holder, which is pur-- posly made flat, lies flat against the flat part 50 of the rod 44 and the spring action is sufficient to retain the blade holder rather firmly in this position. The under surface of the flat bearing part 43 thus serves to retain the blade holder in raised position andthe upper surface is the seat for the points 42 of the blade backing. By having the backing of the blade cut away at 41 and providing only the two points 42 at which the backing contacts with the part 43 of the holder, rocking of the blade is prevented and the cutting edge of the blade is definitely positioned relatively to the guard because the guard has a definite position relative to the handle through the ears 2'! or. through the stop pin 21, together with pivot 11, the blade holder also has a definite position relative to the handle through the rod 44, and the edge of the blade has a definite position relia- 1 tive to the handle and the guard through the connecting parts 30 and the points 42 which always position the backing of the blade and therefore its cuttingedge relative to the part 43 of the blade holder and therefore relative to the rod 44. The blade holder is preferably provided with a finger piece 51 which extends from the bearing part 48 of the holder, so that by ressing down on the finger piece 51 the blade ho der may be raised from the position shown in Fig. 4, to the position shown in Fig. 10.

One of the important features of the invention is the surface of the sharpener. or blade edging element 7. It has been found that in the commercial manufacture of razorblades, the edges of the blades are quite irregular. If the edge of the average razor blade is brought into contact with a ground mechanically flat surface, certain portions of the blade edge will bear harder against the surface than others, due to irregularities in the edge. The average razor blade is warped or otherwise irregular. Such blades may easily be sharpened on a leather strop, because the strop issoft and conforms itself to the irregularities in the blade, but such a blade cannot readily be'sharpened on a hard surface on. which the blade may reciprocate while in contact therewith, because not all of the parts of the blade will contact with the surface. To overcome this difiiculty, the blade sharpeners having, the surfaces formed as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 have been devised. The surface of the blade sharpener is provided with high portions 52 and low portions 53 and the difference in height between the high portions 52 of the sharpener and the low portions 53, is greater than the amount of warp or irregularity in the edge of the blade.

.This may be explained in connection with the illustration shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 1'7. The line 54 in Fig. 16 is a straight line which represents the position of the edge of the blade if it were straight. In order to sharpen the irregular blades such as are shown in Figs. 15 and 1'1, the

. raised portions 52 of the sharpener are high enough above the low portions 53, thatwhen the raised portions enter the irregularities ofthe blade edge (as is shown in Fig. 17), no other part of the blade edge will contact with the low portions 53 of the sharpener to prevent the raised portions 52 from eifectively contacting the irreg+ ular part of the blade edge. The difference in height between the high and low surface portions of the blade sharpener is suflicient to take care of the normal variations or irregularities of the average blade edge, as shown in Figs. 15 and 17-. In Fig. 15 the full line'55 and the dotted line 56 show the action of a warped blade edge againsta sharpening surface of the type referred to. In Fig. 1'7 the action of a generally irregular blade edge 5'7 is shown during the sharpening action. 1

The width of the high portions 01' the sharpener at any point where the shaving edge contacts therewith, should be less than the width of the irregularities in' the shaving edge. This may 'be explained in connection with Fig. l7,' from which it will be seen" that the horizontal distance between the point where the high portion 52 be-.

. will contact with a partof the raised portion of the sharpener and all parts of the blade edge will be sharpened irrespective .of the irregularities in the blade edge. The edge of the blade itselfbeing slightly flexible will conform somewhat to the contour of the raised, portion and will sharpen minor variations in the blade.v The high por-. tions of the sharpener are preferablycontinuous, forming a continuous, preferably V shaped, ridge with the sides lying at an angle to blade. so that when the edge of the blade is in contact with'the sharpener, it is always in contact, at some point, with the high portions throughout the reciprocation. The high'portions of the sharpener also preferably extend far enough across the sharpener, so that all parts of the blade edge contact with the raised portions during the reciprocation of-the sharpener. In the razor illustrated the sharpener is a little wider than the length of the blade edge and the high portions extend to the edges of the sharpener thus insuring that the edge of the blade contacts throughout its entire length. Some of the forms which the high portions may take, are shown in Figs. 13 and 14. In Fig. 13 the high portion is in the form of a V with the'ends of the sides of the 'V substantially at the comers 62 and 63 of the sharpener and the angle 64 of the V is at such a distance from the forward edge of the sharpener that when the sharpener is in the extended position shown in Fig. 5, the'edge of the blade is resting on the rear of the angle 64. The depth of the V shown in Fig. 13 therefor, will depend upon the length of stroke of reciprocation of the blade sharpener. In Fig. 14, the rawed portions 52 are somewhat in the form of a double V and, as the blade moves over the sharpener, the edge of the blade moves along the high portions 52 from the ends 62 and 63 toward the center 84 and then toward the ends 65 and 66 of the inverted V. Whatever form the raised portions of the sharpener may take, that is, no matter whether a single or a double V is used, it is preferred that the raised portions 52 be spread portions of the blade edge contact with the apart and then convergeand the ends of the .V and the point 64 should be so placed on the sharpener with relation to the distance travelled by the sharpener during its reciprocation that all raised portions 52 at some time during the stroke with a part of the raised portion of the sharpener.

of reciprocation, that is, the point or base 64 of the V should not be placed so far to the rear of the sharpening plate that when the sharpeningpiate is at its foremost point, for example, in the position shown in Fig. 5, the central part'cf the edge of the blade has not yet come into contact- In the preferred form of the sharpener, the

' raised portion begins and ends-substantially at the forward corners of the sharpener and from these forward corners converges symmetrically to the point 64 which is. preferably midway between the sides of the sharpener. The edge of the blade,*therefore, first contacts with two parts of the raised portions 52 and then contacts with the. central portion 64 as it moves across and in ,contact with, the sharpener.

Since the sharpener is movably mounted on the screw 1'7. or pivot pin 26, so that it can adjust itself to lie substantially parallel to the edge of the blade, the raised portions 52 of the sharpener will bear-evenly against the edge of the blade, irrespective of how much the blade is warpedand where the warpthe edge of the;

in the blade happens to be. The screw 1'! or pivot pin 26-is preferably midway between the sides of thesharpener and midway between the sides of the bladewhen it is properly in the blade holder and at a right angle to both the front edge is' brought to bear at equal distances from the pivot on which the sharpener moves to adjust itself for even contact with the blade, and the sharpener is balanced. With this construction the pressure between the blade edge and the raised portions is substantially equal at each 'point of contact, so that each half of the blade edge from the center outward is substantially equally sharpened and thus the sharpening of the blade is uniform or balanced. This even contact of the edge of the blade against the raised portions might not take place if there were more than two parts of the raised portions with which the edge of the blade could contact at any one time, because the edge of the blade might contact with two of the raised portions, but those two raised portions with which the contact was made might raise the edge of the blade above the other raised portion. During the reciprocation'of the sharpener, therefore, the blade edge is supported at one time attwo points and at another time at a single point but preferably at no time are there more than two points of contact or support between the edge of the blade and the sharpener. The surface of the raised portions is preferably rather broad and smoothly rounded or crowned and slopes gradually and smoothly down to the low portions 53 of the sharpener, so that there are no sharp corners which might injure or break up or bend the thin, delicate shaving edge of the blade. 4

The high portions of the sharpener may be formed on the sharpener in any suitable manner.

For instance, the low portions of the sharpener may be cut or ground out to leave the high portions, or the sharpener may be made in a stamping-machine or die press in which the high and low portions are-formed at the time that the sharpener isstamped out. A convenient method, of making the sharpener and forming the highand low portions on the surface which contacts with theedge of the blade, and of assembling the sharpener '7 and the plate 8, is shown in Figs. 13'and18. For this purpose, the sharpener 7 is stamped out with a sharpening surface having" no high or low portions but with a projecting strip 67 on its under surface, which is subatantially the form of the raised portion 52, which is desired on the surface of the sharpener. The sharpener '7 has studs 68 formed on its under surface, which enter suitably placed openings 69 in the plate 8 and which may be headed over, to

assemble. the sharpener and plate. It has been found convenient to finish the sharpener by grinding the sharpening. surface to a predetermined curve, substantially'as shown at .70, and then bending'the sharpener to produce the high and low portions. This is preferably accomplished by putting the assembled sharpener and plate 8 1 under a die, which will I tions 53 and permit thehigh'portions. 52 to remain press down the low porsubstantially in their original position over the strip 67 which is on the under side of the sharpener 7. By this means, the high portions and the low portions merge smoothly into each other, as shown in Fig. 18 and there are no sharp edges.

The blade which is used in the razor is made in such a manner that the body portion of the blade is as flexible as may be desirable and with as little irregularity as is practical in manufacture. To overcome a slight irregularity and warping of the blade and to give the best possible contact with the high portions of the sharpener, the blade is left flexible with respect to its backing by separating from the backing 29 and connecting it thereto only at spaced points, by the connecting parts 30. The body portion of the blade, therefore, is not held in a warped position, due to any warp which may be in the rigid backing, and the only warp or irregularity which will be in the edge of the blade will be that which is inevitable in making and tempering the body portion. In order to leave the body portion of the blade as free as possible, but still connect it with the backing, there are cooperating interlocking means on the body portion of the blade and on the connecting parts 30. The connecting parts 30 are preferably a pair of wing-like members which extend from the backing over the body portion of the blade at spaced points and the blade has openings '11 into which projections 72 from the connecting parts 30 may extend. These projecting parts 72 may be formed by pressing inwardly the appropriate points of the connecting parts 30, as is shown on Fig. 9. The openings '71 which are in the body portion of the blade, are preferably larger than the projections '72, so as to provide a loose connection and permit a slight amount of play between the body portion of the blade and the connecting parts 30, that is, the body portion 28 of the blade is locked to the backing 29 by the cooperation of the openings 71 and the projections 72, but the blade is not rigidly fastened to the connecting parts 30 nor to the backing.

To provide a blade which is adjustable in width, for use with that form of razor which is shown in Figs. 19 and 20', on which the guard is not adjustable, the two wing-like parts of the connecting parts 30 may, if desired, touch lightly on the body portion of the blade with sufiicient frictional contact to allow a person using the blade to force the body of the blade forward until the rear edges of the openings '71 engage the projections '72. The frictional engagement of the body portion of the blade with the wing-like parts of the connecting members 30, should not be enough to influence the flexibility of the body portion of the blade in any way, but should be only sufficient to hold the body of the blade and the backing in adjusted position with sufficient force to prevent the body from moving backward as the sharpener is reciprocated. The blade may thus be adjusted to give a close shave or a shave which is not so close, in the case where the guard is not adjustable. By forcing the body of the blade forward, the distance from the backing to the cutting edge of the blade may be increased and, therefore, when the blade is in the holder the cutting edge of the blade will project farther in front of the guard teeth than it otherwise would, to give a close shave. Likewise, the body of the blade may be forced backwardly so that the cutting edge is more guarded and the resulting shave will not be so close.

The construction or details of the razor are more or less obvious from an inspection of the drawings. The parts 4 of the handle are spaced near their upper ends by the stop pin 21 and by the shoulders which are formed near the ends of the rod 44 when the ends of the rod are reduced to give the squared ends 45. The parts 4 of the handle are spaced at their lower ends by the spacing block 73 and the shoulders which are formed on thepivot 11. In the form of razor shown in Figs. 1-5 which does not have the projecting ears 27 to align the guard teeth with the cutting edge of the blade by contact with the parts 5 of the handle, the base '14 of the stem 10 is preferably of such width that it just fits between the parts 4 of the handle so. that the stem cannot twist and the guard is maintained parallel to the,

cutting edge of the blade. The block '73 is preferably made with knurling '75 to roughen it, so that it may be gripped very securely. The pivot 11 is preferably made with a fiat face 76 and so placed in the razor that the flat face, is toward the block '73 as is shown in the drawings, with the round surface uppermost. The lower end '14 of the stem 10 is bifurcated to provide the slot '77 which is enlarged and rounded at its inner end to fit over the pivot 11. In assembling the razor, the two parts 4 of the handle are fastened together by the rivets 78 with the spacing block '73 in between them and the parts 4 of the handle are so made that their tendency is to spring toward each other. The assembled sharpener '7, plate 8 and stem 10 are then held in a horizontal position, so that they extend to the rear of the razor and the slot '77 is slipped over the pivot 11 until the pivot 11 is seated in the rounded inner end of the slot. The upper parts 4 of the handle are then spaced apart, so that the assembled stem and sharpening plate can be brought substantially into the position shown in Fig. 5. The stop pin 21 is then seated in the opening in one of the parts 4 of the handle and the blade holder, with the rod 44 in it, is also placed in position with one of the squared ends 45 in one of. the squared openings provided therefor. The upper parts of the handle 4 and the parts 6 are then permitted to spring together which seats the free ends of the pin 21 and the rod 44 in the holes in the handle. sired, the ends of the stop pin 21 may be headed over on the outside of the parts 4 of the handle, in order to hold the parts of the handle together more securely, but ordinarilythe spring of the parts of the handle is sufficient.

Although a preferred form of the invention has been described,

and it is, therefore, desired that the scope of the invention be construed as broadly as the claims taken in conjunction with the prior art, may

allow.

I claim: 1. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portions having which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge while contacting with a shaving edge whereby the shaving edge is supported at one time at two places and another time at a single place as it moves with relation to the sharpener.

2. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having high andlow surface portions, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge This assembles the razor. If de- I it is recognized that many changes may be made in constructional features parts 75 D rti while contacting with a shaving edge whereby the shaving edge is supported by the high portions at one time at two places and at another time at-a single place as it moves with relation tothe sharpener therebeing at no time more than two parts of the high portions supporting the edge v of the blade. A

3. A razor structure having mounted thereona razorblade sharpener having high and low sur-, 10 face portions, the high portions being continuous and having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge while contacting with a shaving edge whereby the shaving edge is supported at one time at two places and at another time at a single place. as it moves with relation to the sharpener.

4. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having high and low surface portions and adapted to sharpen ablade presenting an irregular shaving edge, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge near the ends of the shaving edge and. then converge while incontact with a shaving edge and the width of the high portions at any place where the shaving edge contacts therewith being less than the irregularities in the shaving edge.

5. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having high and low surface portions and adapted to sharpen a blade presenting an irregular shaving edge, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge near the ends of the shaving edge .35 and then converge while in contact with a shaving edgeand the width of the high portions at any place where the shaving edge contacts therewith being less than the length of the shaving edge.

6. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having high and-low surface portions, the high portion being in the form of converging ridges at an angle to the shaving edge of the blade as the blade moves relatively to the sharpener and the width of the high portion at any place where the shaving edge of the blade contacts therewith beingless than the irregularities in the shaving edge.

- '7. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portion being in the form kof converging ridges and the width of the high 5 9. .A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having corners and pre-' senting high and low surface portions, the high portions forming an elevated ridge substantially Joining the comers of the sharpener and extending toward the center of the sharpener between the corners.

10. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having comers and presenting high and low surface portions, the high ns forming a continuous elevated ridge subportion at any place where the shaving edge of stantially joining the corners of the sharpener and extending toward the center of the sharpener between the comers for continuous contact with the edge of the blade as the blade and sharpener move relatively to each other.

11. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having corners and presenting high and low surface portions, the high portions forming an elevated ridge substantially joining a pair of the comers of the sharpener and extending toward the center of the sharpener be- .tween the comers.

12. A razor structure having mounted thereon a razor blade sharpener having corners and presenting high and low surface portions, the high portions forming an elevated ridge substantially joining the pair of comers of the sharpener which are in line with the edge of the blade and extending toward the center of the sharpener between the corners.

13. A razor including a blade holder, and a blade sharpener mounted thereon for riciprocation relatively to the blade and in contact therewithby shaking the razor, and the sharpener and blade also being relatively movable to permit the sharpener and blade to lie in parallel contact with each other, a sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge whereby the shaving edge is supported at one time at two places and atanother time at a single place as it moves with relation to the sharpener, there being at no time more than two parts of the high portions supporting the edge of the blade.

14. A razor including a blade holder, and a blade sharpener mounted thereon for reciprocation relatively to the blade and in contact therewith by shaking the razor, and the sharpener and blade also being relatively movable to permit the sharpener and blade to lie in parallel contact with each other, a sharpener having high and low portions adapted to sharpen a blade presenting an irregular shaving edge, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge and the width of the high portions at any point where the shaving edge contacts therewith being less than the irregularities in the shaving edge.

15. A razor including a blade holder and a razor blade sharpener adapted to reciprocate relatively to and in contact with the blade, a sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converg'e whereby the shaving edge is supported at one time at two places and at another time at a single place as it moves with relation to the sharpener. 16. A razor including a blade holder and a razor blade sharpener adapted to reciprocate relatively to and in 'contact with the blade, the sharpener having high and low surface portions and being adapted to sharpen a blade presenting an irregular shaving edge, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge and the width of the high portions at any point where the shaving edge contacts therewith being less than the irregularities in the shaving edge.

17. A razor including a blade holder and a sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge whereby the shaving edge is supported at one time at two places and at another time at a single place as it moves with relation to the sharpener, the relative movements of the sharpener and blade being so limited that the blade is in continuous contact with the high portions of the sharpener.

18. A razor including a holder and a razor blade sharpener adapted to reciprocate relatively to and in contact-with the blade, the sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade at the ends of the shaving edge and then converge whereby. the shaving edge is supported at one time at two places and at another time at a single place as itmoves with relation to the sharpener, the relative movements of the sharpener and blade being so limited that the blade edge is in continuous contact with the high portions whenever the blade edge contacts with the sharpener.

19. A razor including a blade holder and a razor blade sharpener adapted to reciprocate relatively to and in contact with the sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portion forming a ridge at an angle to the shaving edge of the blade as the blade moves relatively to the sharpener, and the width of the high portion at any place where the shaving edge of the blade contacts therewith being less than the irregularities in the shaving edge.

20. In a self sharpening safety razor having a blade presenting a cutting edge and a sharpener reciprocable relative to and in contact with the cutting edge and having a guard adjacent to the cutting edge, supporting means for supporting the sharpener, and connecting means connecting the sharpener and supporting means and movable to adjust the position of the guard relative to the cutting edge.

21. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the blade and sharpener relatively movable to permit the sharpener and blade edge to lie substantially parallel to each other, raised portions on the sharpener for contact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and sharpener, the raised portions on the sharpener converging and being arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the sides of the sharpener.

22. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the blade and sharpener relatively movable to permit the sharpener and blade edge to lie substantially parallel to each other, raised portions on the sharpener for contact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and the sharpener,.the raised portions on the sharpener converging and being arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to the sides of the blade.

23. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the blade and sharpener relatively movable to permit the sharpener and the blade edge to lie substantially parallel to each other, raised portions on the sharpener for contact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and sharpener, the raised portions on the sharpener converging and being arranged subblade, the

stantially symmetrically with respect to the cutting edge of the blade.

24. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the sharpener pivoted to permit the sharpener to adjust itself to lie substantially .par-

allel to the cutting edge of the blade, raised portions on the sharpener for contact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and sharpener, the raised portions on the sharpener converging and being arranged symmetrically with respect to the pivot.

25. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the sharpener pivoted along a line at a right angle to the front of the sharpener to permit the sharpener to adjust itself to liesub-.

stantially parallel to the cutting edge of the blade, raised portions on the sharpener for contact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and sharpener, the raised portions being arranged symmetrically with respect to the pivot line and converging to a point lying above the pivot line.

26. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the sharpener pivoted along a at a right angle to the cutting edge of the blade to permit the sharpener substantially parallel with the cutting edge of the blade, raised portions tact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and sharpener, the raised portions converging symmetrically to a point lying above the pivot line.

2'7. In a razor having a blade and a sharpener mounted on the razor for relative reciprocation and having the sharpener pivoted on a pivot symmetrically placed with respect to the cutting edge of the blade to permit the sharpener to adjust itself to lie substantially parallel to the cutting edge, raised portions on the sharpener for contact with the blade edge during the relative reciprocation of the blade and sharpener, the raised portions converging and being symmetrically placed with respectto the pivot.

28. In a self sharpening safety razor having a blade presenting a cutting edge and a sharpener reciprocable relative to and in contact with the cutting edge and having a guard adjacent to the cutting edge, supporting means for supporting the sharpener, and connecting means connecting the sharpener and supporting means and on which the sharpener is movable to permit the sharpener to lie substantially parallel to the cutting edge of the blade, the connecting means being movable to adjust the position of the guard relative to the cutting edge.

29. A razor blade having a body portion, abacking spaced from the body portion, connecting parts extending over the body portion from the backing at spaced points, and cooperatingopenings and projections on the body portion and connecting parts to lock the body portion to the backing.

30. A razor blade having a body portion, a. backing spaced from the body portion, connecting parts extending from the backing at spaced points over the body portion without gripping the body portion, and cooperating openings and projections on the body portion and connecting parts to lock the body portion to the backing. I

31. A razor blade having a body portion, a backing spaced from the body portion, connecting parts extending from the backing at spaced points over the body portion without grippingthe body porto adjust itself to lie line 108- on thesharpener for con- 33. A razor blade having a body portion, a backing spaced from the body portion, connecting parts extending from the backing at spaced points over the body portion without gripping the body portion, and cooperating loosely interlocking means on the body portion and connecting parts to lock the body portion to the backing.

34. A razor blade presenting a cutting edge and a rear portion adapted to seat in a blade holder, the rear portion presenting two projecting seating points for contact with the blade holder.

35. A razor blade presenting a cutting edge and a rear portion adapted to seat in a blade holder, the rear portion being cut away at the center to prevent seating contact with the blade holder except near the ends of the rear portion, to prevent rocking of the blade in the blade holder.

36. A razor blade having a body portion and a backing adapted to be gripped at its central portion by a blade holder and presenting two seating points substantially at its ends to provide a positive positioning of the blade with respect to the blade holder. 4

37. A razor blade presenting a cutting edge and a rear portion, the rear portion having-an indented central part adapted to be gripped by a blade holder and having two seating portions for seating contact with the blade holder spaced at either side of the central part.

38. A razor blade having a body portion 'presenting a cutting edge and a rear portion thicker than the body portion, the rear portion being tapered from its central part toward its ends and a ridge on the rear portion adapted to cooperate with a part on a blade holder to hold the blade in the blade holder.

39. A razor blade having a cutting edge and an enlarged rear portion adapted to be gripped by openings and projections on by a blade holder, the I part in order to be most a blade holder, the enlarged portion being cut away to present two spacedpoints for contact with the holder to align the edge of the blade with the blade holder.

40. A razor blade having a cutting edge and an enlarged rear portion adapted to be gripped by a blade holder, the enlarged portion being pointed at both ends to facilitate insertion in the blade holder.

41. A razor blade having a cutting edge and an enlarged rear portion adapted to be gripped enlarged portion being widest near its central firmly gripped by the blade holder at that point.

42. A razor blade having a cutting edge anda rear portion presenting two projecting seating points for contact with the blade holder, and cooperating means on the blade holder and said rear portion for forcing said seating points against'the blade holder. I

43. A razor including a blade holder and a razor blade sharpener adapted to reciprocate relatively to and in contact with the blade, the sharpener having high and low surface portions, the high portions being adapted to continuously contact with the blade edge at two small areas and then at a single larger area at least as large as the total area of the said two small areas.

44. A razor structure having mounted thereon a blade sharpening element and a blade holding element, said blade sharpening element presenting high and low surface portions, the high portions having parts arranged to. contact with the shaving edge of a blade at not more than two places at one time as it moves with relation to the blade, said elements being mounted on the structure to permit even contact between the blade edge and high surface portions by relative tilting.

45. A razor structure including a blade element and a blade sharpening element, said blade sharpening element presenting high and low surface portions, the high portions having parts which contact with the shaving edge of the blade near the ends of the shaving edge and then at the center as it moves with relation to the sharpener whereby the shaving edge is supported at not more that two places during such movement, said elements being mounted on the structure and rela- 

